Can-heading machine.



J, BRENZINGER.

CAN HEADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1909.

Patented Jan 4, 1916 J. BBENZINGER.

GAN HEADING MACHINE. AP ucApbN FILE-D MAR. 24. 1909.

12 SHEETS-SHEET 4- Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

WIT/1258858 I mqswron fl J. BRENZINGER.

CAN HEADVING MACHINE." APPLICAFION l 'lLED MAR: 24, 1909.

Patented Jan.4 1916.

-/z9 Mg W M m;

1. BRENZINGER.

CAN HEADJNG MACHINE. APPLICATION VFILED MAR. 24. 1909.

1,167,345, Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

I2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES XflLM/VZZWOR W W M 1. BRENZINGER.

7 CAN HEADING MACHINE.

v APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1909. 11 ,167,345. Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

12 SBEETS-SHEET 8.

M7 its fly 7W. W flf gay Z5 T- llxx, I

WITNESSES w ciam J. BBENZINGER. CAN HEADING MACHINE.

P AWUCM'LON FILED MAR. 24, 1909 Li43'?.,3%@a

12 SHEETS-SHEET .9.

I r v I $5 Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

1. BRENZINGER; CANHEADFMG MACHINE.

I APPLICATION Hm; MAR. 24, 1909. v L1675n Patented 31111.4, 1916,

' I IKE/W03 B, M

J. BRENZINGER.

CAN HEADING MAQHlNE. AfiPucnnou FILED MAR-X24. 1909.

i lfi' i w. Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

12 SHEETS-SHEET H.

' ATTORNEY -1. BRENZINGER.

Patented Jan. 4, I916.

12 SHEETSSHEET I2.

INVENTOR Arron/m sans r rn wr o'rrron.

JULIUS BRENZINGER, F MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE MAX AMS MACHINE COMPANY,OFBRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW onic.

memes.

7 CALLHEADING MACHINE.

Patent-ed Jan. 4., 19116.

Application filed March 24, 1909. Serial No. 485,451.

'icitizen' ofthe United States, residing at Mount Vernon, in. the county of WVestchesterand State of New York, have invented certain ,new and useful Improvements in Cami-leading Machines, of which the fol 1 lowing is a specification.

51 jt'oms tothe body portions of. cans, which T machine are, first, the necessity fora, degree This-invention relates to machines for se curing the tops and bottoms to the body portions of sheet metal containers, commonlyknown as tin cans, by what is known as the double seaming process. I v

f Thereare many'well-known types of'machines for double-seaming the tops and hotinsur'e arigid and tight joint. WVith most known forms "of such machines, however, it isnecessary that the unseamed but assembled parts of the can be adjusted in the maby hand and similarlyremoved there- :froni-after the seaming operation.

he' principal difficulties attendant upon an effort to provide automatic feeding mechanism in connection with a can'heading of perfection of adjustment of the can parts the machine which cannot readily be sefcured'jby any known form of mechanical ffeeding means; second, the undesirable effects ofthe ordinary step-by-step movement of the can darrier or conveyor, which is jerky, and tends not only to disturb the T I flecessaryadjustment between the can body as" dits' superposed top, but is also likely to e use -the spilling 'of more or less of the tenants-of the can which is being headed,

and,"- third, that of providing such "connec- I nbetween the delivery and the seaming eclianism that the former may be checked and the'latter simultaneously rendered in- ;ioprative," ini-case of trouble "or accident,

i'without stopping the movement of other rts' of the" machine. Furthermore, it is it llknown in this art that the double sealn generally the: result of two operations, 31 ally performed by two'seaming rollers which is either revolved aroundthe 3a, hi h with its superposed head is js upportedby a suitable chuck, or which are {rotatedagainst the rotating can body. One @f theserollersfirst operates to turn down itheisuperposed flanges, after 'which this roller is'lwithdrawn and the other roller is the capacity of the machine.

The principal objects of-the present invention are, first, the provision of a can heading machine which includes an'automatic feeding device which is dependable in operation and which will properly deliver the assembled parts of the can to the seaming mechanism without disturbing the relative positionsof the parts or loss of any portlon of the contents of the can; second, the provision of a machine having seaming mechanisms which will automatically receive the assembled can parts from the feeding device and subject the same to the alternate operations of the two seaming rollers; third, the provision of a machine of this character having means both for quickly shutting off the power and stopping the entiremachine, and for stopping operations of the feeding device and simultanebusly rendering inoperative the revolutions of the seaming rollers, and, fourth, the provision of a machine ofthis character which may be quickly and readily adjusted for the head.- ing of cans ofvarious sizes, and which will be otherwise comparatively simple in construction and dependable in operation.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying 9 drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof; Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof; Fig'. 4 is an elevation of the side opposite to that shown in Fig.1, with the feedingmechanism removed; Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken substantially on theline 5 -5, of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the-line 66 of Fig. 3;Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the line-77 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation, partly broken away, of the seaming 10 mechanism a'nd'the means for actuating the same; Fig. 9 is a' section takenisubstantially on the line 99 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a section taken substantially on the line 10-10 of Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a similar view with parts in a dilierent position of adjustn'ient, as hereinafter destu-ibed: Fig. 12 is a section taken substantially on the line 12-12 of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a sectional end elevation of the positive feeding mechanism; Fig. 14 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. v15 is a section taken substantially on the line 1515 of Fig. 13; Fig. 16 is a section, on a reduced scale, taken substantially on the line 16-16 of Fig. 13; Fig. 17 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the lower portion of the machine, showing the main driving shaft and connections; Fig. 18 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of the carrier and guard; Figs. 19 and 20 are views similar to Figs. 8 and 9 of a modification of this mechanism, Fig. 20 being a section on the line 20-20 of Fig. 19, and Figs. 21 and 22 are sectional views showing the effect of operations of the first and second seaming rollers, respectively.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, numeral 21 refers to a heavy supporting frame in the lower part of which is journaled the main driving shaft 22 which is provided with the usual fast and loose pulleys, 23 and 24, respectively, which may be connected by belt in the usual manner to any accessible and convenient source of power. Suitably journaled in the supporting frame is the vertical shaft 25, driven from the main shaft by the intermeshed beveled gears 26 and 27. This vertical shaft 25 extends upwardly through the gearbox or casing 28, and carries within said box or casing the pinion 29. At the upper end of said shaft 25 is provided the sleeve or bushing 30, fixed to which, within said gear-box 28, is the double internal gear 31. Interposed between the pinion 29 and the upper portion of the internal gear 31, is

the pinion 32, the axle of which is journaled in hearings in the arm 33 of the frame of the machine, the top plate of the box or casing 28 being apertured for this purpose, as best shown in Fig. 2. Keyed to the sleeve or bushing 30 is the pinion 34, identical to the pinion 29, and interposed between said pinion 34 and the lower section of the internal gear 31 is the pinion 35, the' axle of Which is journaled in bearings in the arm or lever 36 Which is loosely mounted upon the sleeve or bushing 30.

Another vertical shaft 37 is suitably journaled in the frame of the machine, and is driven from the shaft 22 by means of the Worm 38 in mesh with the gear 39 on the horizontal shaft 40, said shaft 40 being provided with a bevel gear 41 in mesh with the similar gear 42 on said shaft 37 It Will be noted that the shaft 37 is in this manner rotated at a velocity much less than that of the shaft 25.

Near the top of the shaft 37 is mounted the disk 43,in the upper face of which is provided the cam groove 44. The arm 36, in which is journaled the pivot or axle of the pinion 35, carries at its end the roller 45 which projects into the cam groove 44.

It will be apparent that with the arm 36 in a position of rest, rotation of the shaft 25 will, through interposition of the pinion 32 between the pinion 29 and the internal gear 31, impart rotation to the latter. which will, through. interposition of the pinion between said internal gear and the pinion 34, impart rotation in the same direction and at normally the same velocit) to the sleeve or bushing 30. It will be furthermore apparent, however, that if during operation bodily movement is imparted to the pinion 35, in either direction, rotation of the sleeve or bushing 30 will be retarded or accelerated, according to the direction in which said pinion 35 is moved. In order to retard therotation of said sleeve or bushing, for a purpose which will be hereinafter made clear, and to properly time the retarding and subsequent acceleration of such movement, I provide the cam groove 44, a portion of which, as best shown in Fig. 6, is of substantially circular configuration, which during movement thereof has no effect upon the position of the arm 36. Following this circular configuration, this cam groove will be seen to diverge, whereby said arm 36 will move the pinion 35 in a direc tion to accelerate the transmitted motion to the pinion' 34 and'thereby increase the velocity of'the rotating sleeve or bushing 30. Subsequently, said cam groove 44 causes the arm 36 to move in a reverse direction, thereby retarding the velocity of the rotating sleeve or bushing 30 until thecircularportion of said cam groove is again reached.

The heavy arm or bracket 46 of the frame carries the vertical hollow shaft 47, upon which is rotatively mounted the gear 48- which is preferably provided with a collar 49 uponwvhich is mounted to rotate independently thereof the gear 50. The gear 50 is in mesh with the pinion 51 keyed to the sleeve or bushing 30 on the shaft 25, and the gear 48 is in mesh with the pinion 52 keyed to the shaft It will be apparent, therefore, that the gear 48 will rottit fit a substantially constant velocity, ,yvliile" the gear 50 will rotate at a velocitvT- which is periodically retarded and accelerated as the velocity of the gear 51 is varied in the manner described. Keyed or-otherwise suitably secured to the collar 53 of the gear 50 is what may be termed the cam-gear-rack 54, the oppositely toothed faces of which are correspondingly eccentrically disposed with reference to its axis. Journaled in the gear 48 is the short shaft 55, to the upper end of which is fixed the arm 56 which carries at its end the pinion 57 in mesh with one of the racks in the cam-gear-rack 51. Similarly pivoted in the body of the gear 18 is the short shaft 58, fixed to the upper end of which is the arm 59 carrying at its end the pinion 00 in mesh with the other rack in said cam-gear-rack The shaft 55 projects through the gear 18, and at the other end thereof is mounted the arm 61 which carries at its end the seaming roller 62. Similarly, the shaft 58 projects through said gem-'18 and has mounted at its lower end the arm 63 carrying the other seaming roller 64.-

Mounted at the lower end of the stationary hollow shaft 4L7, and fixed thereon, is the chuck 65 which is adapted to enter the usuiil central depression in the top of the can and support the same against the action of the seaming rollers 62 and 64, the working edges of said chuck and said rollers lying in the same horizontal plane, whereby said chuck and said rollers may be brought into the usual coiiperative relation through slight lateral movement of said rollers.

The effect of retarding and accelerating the velocity of the gear 50, the collar 53 of which carries the cam-gear-rack 54:, in the manner described, will now be apparent. lVhen this-cam-gear-rack is made to rotate at a slightly less velocity than that of the gear 48, the pinions 57 and 60 will advance along their respective racks, the eccentric disposition of which forces the pinion 57 outwardly to slightly rock the short shaft 55 and through the arm 61 force inwardly, and into cooperative relation to the chuck,-the seaming roller 02. At the same time, the

' relative disposition of the opposite rack permits the pinion 60 to be drawn inwardly under action of a spring 201, similarly slightly rotating the shaft 58, which through the arm 63 withdraws theseaming'roll'er 64 from cooperative positional relation to said chuck. As the movement of said cam-gearrack is again accelerated, the reverse of the above-described movements will be effected,

the seaming roller 61 being thereby brought into, and the seaming roller 62 being with? drawn from, cooperative relation to said chuck. In Fig. 9, I have shown these parts in what may be termed mean relative positions, with both seaming rollers withdrawn from the chuck, and 'it will be understood,

therefore, that excepting as these relative positions are varied by retarding or accellerating movement of the cam-gear-rack, both seaming-rollers and the chuck are in noncotiperative positional relation.

Supported at one end by the adjustable frame 66, and at the other by the frame of the machine, is the plate 67 on the upper face of which are provided guide-straps '68 at a'proper distance apart to provide a track along which can bodies may be carried. This plate 67 is provided with an elongated slot (39 for the endless link-belt chain 70 carried by the sprocket-wheels 71 and 72, the former being suitably journaled in the frame 06 and the latter in the frame 21 of the machine. The chain 70 is driven by means of a bevelgear 73 on the shaft 37 in mesh \vith a corresponding gear 74 on the horizontal shaft 75, suitably journaled in the frame of the machine, which shaft 75 carries a sprocket wheel 70 connected with the sprocket wheel '77 bythe chain 78, said sprocket wheel 77 being fixed upon the short shaft 79 which carries the sprocket-wheel 72.

The link-belt 70 is provided at proper intervals with a series of teeth 80 80 projecting upwardly through the slot (59 in the track 67, and the assembled parts of the can are placed upon the track 67 one. between each pair of teeth 80. The belt 70 is parts are carried by a steady movement along the track 07 and upon the platform 81, which is at the same elevation as said track 67, where the can body is in position to be engaged by the positive feeding mechanism. This positive feeding mechanism comprises what may be termed a reciprocating carriage, the operative portion of which is made up of two substantially counterpart sections 82 and 83. The section82 is loosely supported upon the top faces of the gears 81 and 85, where it is slidably retained by means of the disks 86 and 87 secured to the shafts 8S and 89, respectively, upon which the gears 81 and are journaled. These shafts 88 and 89 project through the slots 90 and 91, respectively, in the carriage-section 82, whereby movement of said section with respect to said studs is limited to that of lateral reciprocation only. The carriage section 83 similarly rests upon the upper i -ried by the frame 21 of the machine, and is supported in roper position preferably by means of the ring 10st integral therewith or secured thereto, slidable in a guideway provided between the platform or table 103 v and the plates 105 and 106 attached to the lower edges of longitudinal ribs on the table 103 and held at a suitable distance therefrom. Similarly,the shaft 94 is journaled in the sleeve 107 wherein it is retained by the fixed collar 108 'andsupported by the ring 109 thereon-slidable in the guideway provided between the table 103 and the --naled 8 ed a gear 116, and at the lower end of ,ti'oii of rotation.

are provided with hearing blocks 113 and 111, respectively, which are-supported in a precisely similar manner and which are similarly slidable in the slots 102- and 115 in the table 103. These pairs of bearing blocks or sleeves 113 and 100, and 111 and 107, are interconnected by the braces 181.

At the lower end of the shaft 88 is mountthe shaft 95 islmounted a similar gear 117. Interposed betiveen these two gears is the member 118, preferably of the form illus-' trated in Fig. 15, which is'pivoted to the stud 119 supported from the bar 112. Each end of the member 118 is provided with a circular rack, the rack 120 being in mesh with the gear 117 and the rack 121 being in mesh with the gear 116. The adjustment is such that when the member 118 is reciprocated about its pivot 119, the gears 116 and 117, with the shafts 88 and 95, will be alternatellrotatd in unison. in the" same direc- As has been explained, gears 84: and 85 have been provided at the upper ends of the shafts 88 and 89, respectively, whereby when said gear 116 is rotated, rotation willbe imparted to said gear 84 and'therefrom to the gear 85 in mesh therewith. Upon the under face of the carriage-section 82 is provided the pair of racks 122 and 123, in mesh with said gears "8 1 and 85, respectively. It will now be apparent that upon rotation of said gears 84: and 85, lateral movement will be imparted to said section 82 through said racks 122' =and 123. Similarly, when said gear 117 is rotated, rotation Will be imparted to the ,gear 93 at the upper end of the shaft 95, this gear imparting rotation and thus imparting lateral movement to the carriage-section 83 through the racks 12st and 125 with which said section is provided.

Mounted upon the shaft 75 is the bevel gea 126 in upon the shaft 128 which is suitably, jourin the plate 129 which forms a part of the frame of the machine. At the upper end of the shaft 128, is mounted the diskwheel 130 to which is eccentrically pivoted the connecting-rod 131 which is similarly pivoted at a suitable point to the member 1 118. The length of the connecting rod 131 may be made adjustable by making the same oftwo or more parts and providing the metal right and left threaded coupling or connection 132.

I It will now be apparent that as rotation is imparted by the shaft 75 to the disk-wheel 30, force will be exerted eccentrically against the member 118, the first effect of to said gear 92 esh with a similar gear 127 l i I which will be to rock said member and thus impart rotation to the gears 116 and 117 in;

.the same direction, until further movement of said member 118 is checked through contact with the adJuSt-able stop 133 in the bar 131 which is suitably secured to the brace 112. This operation, in the manner described, has operated through the gears 81 and 85 to move the carriage-section 82 laterally in a direction away from its counterpart section 83. Similarly, rotation of the gear 117 has effected lateral movement in an opposite direction to the carriage-section 83. When further rotation of said gears is checked through the member 118 contacting with the stop 133i further movement of the connecting rod 131 will act through the member 118 against the pivot 119 to move the entire carriage mechanism longitudinally. as guided by the slots 102 and 115 in the plate 103.

Continued rotation of the disk-wheel 130 will, upon the return movement imparted to the connecting rod .131, first effect rotation of the gears 116 and 117 in a reverse direction, thereby causing the carriage-sections 82 and 83 to approach each other until said member 118 contacts with the adjustable stop 135 oppositelv located in the bar 131. At this point, said member 118 again acts through the pivot 119 to return the entire carriage mechanism to its original position.

From the above it will be seen that when one of the teeth 80 in the chain has carried a can body with its superposed top upon the platformSl, it is 'n position to be engaged between the semi-circular recesses 136 near the forward end of Said carriage sections, these recesses being intended to be of substantially the same size as the can body,

Operation which is received therebetween. of the carriage mechanism is so timed that lateral movement of the carriage-sections toward each other occurs immediately followmg the positioning of the can body upon the platform 81. Immediately thereafter,

the two carriage-sections move in unison toconvey a can body between the recesses 136 to the'position where it will subsequently fall within the recesses 137, of similar form and size, with which said sections are provided. When this can body has been ada 'vanced one step, in this manner, the carriage-sections 82 and 83 are separated, in the manner described, and in their separated condition are returned in unison to their former position, during which operation anbodies are advanced one step,-the first can body being brought between the recesses 138, of similarformend size, after which the sections are again separated, another can body is delivered to the platform 81, and the advancing operation is repeated, the last operation, and subsequent operations, carrying the foremost can body upon the disk 139. \Vith respect to this automatic feeding mechanism, taken as a whole, it will be noted that the filled cans with the top or cover 1n proper position thereon, are carried along the track formed by the guide-straps 68 at a slowand uniform velocity, and there is therefore little danger, during this period of transit, that any of the contents of the {@3115 will be spilled or the covers thereon dis- ,kodged. It will be furthermore apparent that as each'ca-n reaches the platform 81, it is engaged in the manner described in the positive feeding mechanism; and, inasmuch as this" mechanism is reciprocated-- by a connecting rod which is pivoted to a rotating body, initial movement of said feeding mechanism will be very slow, the velocity grad-' 'ually increasing as said rotating body moves disk 139 is mounted at the upper'end of the vertical rod 140 which has pivotal connection with the arm 141 of a bell-crank lever,

the other arm 142 ofwhich is; provided with a roller 143 in cooperative positional relation to the cam 144; on the shaft 75. The cam 14% is of such configuration and these parts are so adjusted that the disk 139, which operates through an aperture 145 in the plate 81, is raised'immediately after the carriage-sections 82 and 83 have released the can body whichhas just been carried upon saiddisk139. The can body, with the cover thereon, is raiseduntil the latter is brought into-contact with the chuck on the hollow shaft 47, which;chuck fits into the usual depression in the can top in a common and Well-known manner to support the same against the operation of the seaming rollers. These seaming rollers are then alternately brought into play, in the manner herembefore described, subsequent to which the cam 1 14 operates to lower the disk 139, and there- .with the seamed and sealed can, which is forced from its position on said disk by the next succeeding can which is .bemg fed thereupon.

It is well known that prior to the final seaming and sealing operation, these cans are not infrequently filled with some more or lessbulky food product, and must/be what may be termed over-filled in order that when the cover is pressed into place the requisite weight of contents will be therein. Undersuch circumstances, it is ofttimes im possible to place the cover upon the filled can and retain the former in proper position for the seaming operation. I therefore prefer to provide a guide-plate 147, suitably carried upon the frame of the machine, the major portion of which is at a distance above the platform 81 and the track 67 exactlyequal to the height of'a can body with top in place thereon. The end of this plate 147 is gently curved upwardly so as to receive a can body without disturbing its superposed top, even though the latter may be held a slight distance above the upper edge of the can by the contents thereof. As the can is carried toward the seaming mechanism this plate 147 serves to force the top firmly down into place and hold the same in this position until delivery upon the disk 139. It is furthermore Well known that when the chuck 65 has been forced into the depression in the can top, gravity .is sometimes fouiid insufficient to remove the seamed can from the chuck, and an ejecting device of some character isnecessary. For. the purposes of thlsmachlne, I prefer to mount at the top of the shaft 37 a cam 148 to which a roller 149 at the end of the lever 150 is in cooperative positional relation. This lever 150 is connected by means of the links 151 to the end-of the vertical rod 152 which is slidable within the hdllow shaft 47. At the lower end of the rod'152 is provided a disk-head 153, normally fitting within a corresponding seat or receptacle in the chuck 65. It will be apparent that the cam 148 may be of such configuration and the parts so adjusted that upon rotation of the shaft 37the rod 152 will be depressed immediately after the seaming operation and the lowering of the disk 139,wh1ch operation will effect the dislodging of the seamed can from the chuck 65. A spring 154 serves to return said rod 152 to its normally elevated position.

Obviously, I desire to provide means for quickly stopping the machine, either when the desiredwork has been done or in case of accident. This I accomplish by means of the usual belt-shifter 155 at the end of the rod 156 which is pivoted to the arm 157 of a bell-crank lever suitably fulcrumed on the frame of the machine, the other arm 158 of which is provided with a treadle 159 which may be depressed to shift the belt from the fast to the loose pulley,.or vice versa, and.

which may be retained in its normally raised position by the spring 160. But in addition to this means for stopping the whole maplugs 163, and said member 162 is adapted to be moved longitudinally on said shaft by means of the arm 161 on the short shaft 165 in the frame of the machine and operated by means of the lever 166 pivoted on the shaft 10 and provided with a treadle 167 in a conveniently accessible location. At the end of the lever 166 is provided a pin 168 eotiperating with a lot in the end of the arm 169 to reciprocate said arm 161 and thus fasten or loosen the worm 38 to or from said shaft- 22. A spring 170 in tension be-' tween the frame of the machine and the arm 182 on the shaft 165, normally retains said arm 161 in one or the other of its twopositions, preferably that of securing said worm to said shaft from which it is loosened by depression of the treadle 1.67.

In order to adapt my machine to cans of various sizes, it may be readjusted for cans of larger diameter by substituting other carriage-sections for the sections 8'2 and the same being provided with recesses or pockets of larger diameter. It may be adjusted for cans of greater or less height through raising or lowering of the plates 117, which are adjustable by means of the screw-bolts 171, and raising or lowering of the platform 81, which I accomplish by providing a shaft 172 with a crank 173 for rotating the same, said shaft being provided with a bevel gear 171 in mesh with a corresponding gear 17 5 on the Screw 176 having bearings in the brace 177 and threaded into the brace 178011 the plate 17 9, the latter being vertically slidablc in suitable guideways and'carrying the table 103 which, in turn, carries the platform 81. In this manner, it will be seen that the platform 81 may be adjusted for different heights of cans, and inasmuch as the shaft 79 is journaled in an adjustable and rigid frame which comprises the. plate 17 9 and the plate 202, it will be apparent that the sprocket wheel 72 and shaft 79 will be automatically adjusted in height by the operation of ad justing the platform 81. The supporting frame 66 may be adjusted in height to correspond with the adjustment of the plat-form 81 by providing a cross-brace 189 pivoted to one of the uprights of said frame and having at its other end a plurality of notches to permit of the spreadingapart of the lower ends of the uprights and,thus raising Ol' lowering the bearings of the'T-sprocket-wheel 71 and the corresponding end of the platform 67. It will be apparent that the disk 139 must be made correspondingly adjustable, which I may accomplish by carrying the rod 110 down through a suitable aperture in the plate 129 and rigidly connecting the same, as by means of the set-screw 183, to the plate 181-. The arm 111 of the operating lever, instead of being directly pivoted to the rod 110, is provided with a pair of links 185, which extend downwardly through the sameaperture in the plate 129 and are pivoted' to the plate 186, through which the rod 110 extends and between which and the plate 181 are provided the rubber bufi'ers 187. It will be apparent that by neansof the setscrew 183 the operative length of the rod 116 may be varied to suit the requirements, and it will be further apparent that tl'irough the interposition of the yielding buffers 187 I have provided for slight variations in the heightof can bodies considered, generally speaking, to be of the same size, thus insuring a yielding pressure against the chuck 65.

In Figs. 19 and 20, I have shown a ,modifi cation of the mechanism for causing the alternate effective operations of the seaming rollers. wherein, instead. of effecting these operations through the medium of an eccentrically mounted double rack. I fix upon the.

collar 53 of the gear 50 the plate 188 which is provided with the racks 189 and 190. Below the gears 57 and 60, respectively, are provided the rollers 191 and 192 bearing against the inclined faces 193 and 191 of the plate 195 similarly fixed upon the collar 53. It will be apparent that in this construction, the retarding of rotation of the gear 50, with respect to rotation of the gear 18, will serve a precisely similar purpose and be of the same effect as the construction shown in.

Figs. 8 and 9.

Attention is directed to the; fact that in disk 199 and the counterpart of the disk 196.

In this manner, the position of the seaming rollers may be made adjustable to a. nic'ety, and I may even provide a graduated scale on one or the other of these connected disks to facilitate adjustment thereof.

I have already described the means for re taining the can tops in proper position on the can bodies as the latter are conveyed to the platform 81, and not least among parts in proper relative position during opceleration.

eration of the positive feeding mechanism. It 1s well known that prior to the seaming operation these can tops are of greater diameter than the can bodies and each thereof projects some distance beyond the upper edge of the flanged can body. I therefore provide the sections 8:2 and 83 of the reciprocating carriage, with a plurality of up wardly projecting pins or posts 200, so spaced and located as to engage and retain in proper position the can top which is superposed upon the body portion engaged by the corresponding recesses136. In this manner the can top is retained in the proper position of adjustment up to the point of its delivery to the seaming mechanism.

In Fig. 21, I have illustrated the effects of operation of the first seaming roller, and

Fig. 22, the operation of the second seaming roller.

Many modifications of minor details of my improved can heading machine will doubtless readily suggest. themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains, and I therefore do not desire to limit my invention to the specific construction herein shown and described.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Iietters Patent:

1. In a can heading machine, the combina tion, with means for supporting the assembled parts of the can to be headed. of seaming -mechanism which includes two members, means for rotating said members in unison, a seaming roller carried by one of said members out of work-engaging position when said members are rotated in unison, means for successively retarding and accelerating one of said members at intervals, and means whereby the position of said seaming roller relative to the supported can parts'is varied such retardation and ac- 2. In a can heading machine, the combination, with means for supporting the assembled parts of the can. to be headed, of seaming mechanism which includes two members, means for rotating said members in unison, a seaming roller carried by one of said members out of work-engaging position when said members are rotating in unison, means for successively retarding and accelerating rotation of the other member at intervals, and connecting means between ing mechanism which includes two members, meansfor-rotating said members in unison, a seaming roller carried by one of said members out or" work-engaging position when said members are rotated in unison, means for successively retarding and accelerating rotation of one of said members at intervals, and connecting means between said seaming roller and the member not carrying the same to effect engagement between said roller and the supported can parts when the relative velocities of said members are varied by such retardation or acceleration.

4. In a can heading machine. the combination, with means for supporting the assembled parts of the can to be headed, of seaming mechanism which includes two members, means for rotating said members in unison, 'an arm pivoted to one of said members and carrying at its free end a seaming roller out of worlrengaging position when said members are rotating in unison,-

means for successively retarding and accelerating oneof said members at intervals, and connecting means between said arm and the member not carrying the same to oscillate said arm by said retardation and acceleration. I

5. In a can heading machine, the combination, with means for supporting the assembled parts of the can to be headed, of seaming mechanism which includes two members, means for rotating said members in unison, an arm pivoted to one of said members and carrying at its free end a seaming roller out of work-engaging position when said members are rotating in unison. means for successively retarding and accelerating rotation of the other member at intervals. and connecting means between said arm and said last-mentioned member to oscillate said arm as said last-mentioned member is periodically retarded and accelerated.

6. In a can heading machine, the combination. with means for supporting the assembled parts of the can to be headed, of scaming mechanism which includes two members, means for rotating said members in unison, a. plurality of seaming rollers carried by one of said members out of workengaging positions when said members are rotated in unison. means for successively retarding and accelerating one on. said members at intervals. and means whereby the position of each seaming roller in succession relative to the supported can is varied by such retardation ing rollers to effectengagement between each roller in succession and the supported can parts when rotation of the variable-speed member is retarded.

8. In a can heading machine, the combina- 10 t1on, w1th means for supporting the assembled parts of the can to be headed, oi seaming mechanism which includes two members, means for rotating said members in unison, a plurality of seaming rollers carried by one of said members out of work-engaging position when said members are rotating inunison, means for successively retarding and accelerating rotation of one of said men bers at intervals, and connecting means between said rollers and the member not carrying the same to effect engagement between each roller successively and the supported can parts when the relative velocities of said.

members are varied by such retardation or 5 acceleration.

9. In a can heading machine, the "combination, with means for supporting the assembled parts of the can to be headed, of seaming mechanism which includes two members, means for rotating said members inunison, a plurality of arms pivoted to one of said members each carrying at its free end a seaming roller out of work-engaging position when said members are rotating in unison, means for successively retarding and accelerating rotation of one of said members at intervals, and connecting means between .said arms and the member not carrying the same to successively oscillate said arms by as said retardation and accele ation.

10. In a can heading machine, the combi nation, with means for supporting the assembled parts of the can to be headed, of seaming mechanism which includes two members,

means for rotating said members in unison,

a plurality of arms pivoted to one of said members each carrying at its free end a seaming roller out of work-engaging position when said members are rotating in umson, means for successively retarding and accelerating rotation of the other member at intervals, and connecting means between said arms and said last-mentioned member to successively oscillate said arms as said member is periodically retarded and accelerated.

11. In a can heading machine, the combination, with means for supporting the assembled parts of the can to be headed, of

0 seaming mechanism which includes two members, means for rotating said members in unison, two arms pivoted to one of said members and each carrying at its free end a seaming roller out of work-engaging posi- 5 tion when said members are rotating in unison, means for successively retarding and accelerating rotation of one of said members at intervals, and connecting means between said arms and the member not carrying the same to alternately oscillate said arms by such rotation and acceleration, whereby first one and then the other of said seaming rollers isbrought tempo *arily into and out of. worlcengaging position.

12. In a can heading machine, the combination, with means for supporting the as sembled parts of the can to be headed, of seaming mechanism which includes two members, means for rotating said members in unison, two arms pivoted to one of said members and each carrying at its free end. a seaming roller out oi work-engaging position when said members are rotating in unison, means for successively retarding and accelerating rotation of the other member, and connecting means between said arms and said last-mentioned member to alternately oscillate said arms to bring first one and then the other of the seaming rollers into and out of work-engaging position as movement of saidlast-mentioned member is retarded and accelerated.

13. In a can heading machine, the combination, with means for supporting the as sembled parts of the can to be headed, seaming mechanism which includes two members,

means for rotating said members in unison, and a seaming roller carried by one of said members out of york-engaging position when said members are rotating in unison, of means for successively delivering the assembled can parts to said supporting means, means automatically actuated and timed in common with said delivering means for successively retarding and accelerating movement of one of said members at intervals,- and connecting means between said seaming roller and the member not carrying the same to intermittently effect engagement between said roller and the supported can parts by such retardation and acceleration.

14. In a can heading machine, the combination,with means for supporting the assembled parts of the can to be headed, seaming mechanism which includes two members, means for rotating said members in unison, and a seaming roller carried by one of said members out of workengaging position when said members are rotating in unison, of means for successively delivering the assembled can parts to said supporting means, means automatically actuated and timed in common with said delivering means for successively retarding and accelerating move ment of the other rotating member at intervals, and connecting means between said lastmentioned member and said roller to intermittently effect engagement between said roller and the supported can parts by such retardation and acceleration. 

